Does the right hand know what the left hand's botching? A couple of weeks ago, I read about a University of Cincinnati College of Medicine survey of US hand surgeons that revealed an astonishing fact: More than 20% of them have operated on the wrong site at least once in their careers -- most often the wrong hand, sometimes the wrong wrist. To err is human, I know -- but are these guys dyslexic or something? Medical errors are a big problem -- I write about them all the time -- but ONE OUT OF FIVE? That's a lot of docs making mistakes. The study also notes that around 10% of all medical malpractice claims are filed against orthopedic surgeons. No wonder their insurance is so high nowadays. Plaintiffs almost always win lawsuits that involve wrong-site surgery, as well they should... But never fear -- bureaucrats to the rescue! To combat these and other preventable errors, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in 1998 launched the "Sign Your Site" campaign -- a movement that encourages surgeons to clearly mark their initials on the correct site as part of their pre-operative routine... Sort of like an "X marks the spot" on a treasure map. To this revelation, they've added the suggestion that surgeons not only verify the proper site -- but also make sure that they're operating on the right patient before making any incisions. What a revelation: Make sure you're cutting up the right site on the right person. Thank God the AAOS is on the case. But what I wonder is this: Do these kinds of blunders ever happen when surgeons operate on each other? Are they more careful when it's their buddy under the knife, rather than Joe Schmoe? Now that's a study I'd really be interested in seeing... Taking a bite out of heart disease,
William Campbell Douglass II, MD
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